At that timeThis phrase indicates a specific moment in the narrative, following the Israelites' crossing of the Jordan River and their encampment at Gilgal. It marks a transition from the wilderness wanderings to the conquest of Canaan. The timing is significant as it occurs after the miraculous crossing, symbolizing a new beginning for the nation.
the LORD said to Joshua
This highlights the direct communication between God and Joshua, emphasizing Joshua's role as the leader chosen by God to succeed Moses. It underscores the divine authority behind the instructions given, ensuring that the actions taken are in accordance with God's will.
Make flint knives
Flint knives were used in ancient times for surgical procedures, including circumcision. The use of flint, a sharp and durable material, is consistent with archaeological findings from the period. This command reflects a return to traditional practices, as metal tools were available but not used for this sacred rite, indicating a connection to the covenantal practices of their ancestors.
and circumcise the sons of Israel
Circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:10-14), symbolizing the Israelites' unique relationship with God. This act was necessary because the generation born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. It served as a physical and spiritual preparation for entering the Promised Land, reaffirming their identity as God's chosen people.
once again
This phrase suggests a renewal or reinstatement of a practice that had been neglected during the wilderness period. It signifies a recommitment to the covenant and a restoration of the community's spiritual status before God. The repetition of circumcision for the new generation underscores the continuity of God's promises and the importance of obedience to His commands.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The LORDThe covenant-keeping God of Israel, who commands Joshua to circumcise the Israelites, reaffirming the covenant with Abraham.
2.
JoshuaThe leader of Israel, successor to Moses, tasked with leading the Israelites into the Promised Land and ensuring their covenant faithfulness.
3.
Sons of IsraelThe new generation of Israelites born in the wilderness, who had not yet been circumcised, representing a renewal of commitment to God's covenant.
4.
Flint KnivesTools made from stone, used for the act of circumcision, symbolizing a return to the ancient practice and obedience to God's command.
5.
CircumcisionA physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham's descendants, signifying Israel's dedication and separation unto God.
Teaching Points
Covenant RenewalThe act of circumcision in
Joshua 5:2 represents a renewal of the covenant with God. Believers today are called to renew their commitment to God regularly, examining their hearts and lives in light of His Word.
Obedience to God's CommandsJoshua's obedience to God's command to circumcise the Israelites is a model for us. We are called to obey God's Word, even when it requires sacrifice or discomfort.
Spiritual PreparationBefore entering the Promised Land, the Israelites needed to be spiritually prepared. Similarly, we must prepare our hearts and lives for the tasks and promises God has for us.
Identity and SeparationCircumcision was a mark of identity and separation for the Israelites. As Christians, our identity in Christ should set us apart from the world, marked by our love and obedience to Him.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Joshua 5:2?
2.Why did God command Joshua to circumcise the Israelites a second time?
3.How does Joshua 5:2 demonstrate obedience to God's covenant with Abraham?
4.What spiritual significance does circumcision hold for Christians today?
5.How can we ensure our hearts are "circumcised" in our walk with Christ?
6.How does this act of obedience prepare Israel for entering the Promised Land?
7.Why did God command circumcision in Joshua 5:2?
8.How does Joshua 5:2 relate to covenant renewal?
9.What is the significance of circumcision in Joshua 5:2?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 5?
11.Joshua 5:2–7: How could an entire fighting force undergo circumcision en masse without any health risks or attack from nearby enemies?
12.What does the Bible say about circumcision?
13.Joshua 5:9: Is there any historical or archaeological evidence that this site, Gilgal, was ever known or marked as the place where Israel’s “disgrace” was removed?
14.What are the main themes of the Bible's books?What Does Joshua 5:2 Mean
At that time• Israel has just crossed the Jordan on dry ground (Joshua 4:19), stepping into the land God promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:7).
• Before any battles begin, the Lord pauses the nation for spiritual preparation, echoingExodus 19:10-11 where Israel readied itself to meet God at Sinai.
• God’s timing reminds us that victory flows from obedience, not from military momentum (Psalm 20:7;Proverbs 21:31).
the LORD said to Joshua• The initiative is God’s; Joshua, though commander, still listens for direction (Joshua 1:1-9).
• Repeated divine speech underscores that the conquest is God-led, paralleling Moses’ pattern of receiving explicit instruction (Exodus 34:27-28).
• Jesus later affirms this principle for His followers: “My sheep listen to My voice” (John 10:27).
Make flint knives• God calls for simple stone tools, not the latest metal technology—highlighting obedience over ingenuity (Exodus 4:25).
• Flint recalls the patriarchal era, linking the new generation with Abraham’s original covenant act (Genesis 17:23-27).
• The detail stresses care and reverence for the covenant sign; nothing is left to chance in holy matters (Leviticus 19:30).
and circumcise the sons of Israel• Circumcision is the physical mark of belonging to God’s covenant people (Genesis 17:10-14;Leviticus 12:3).
• It sets Israel apart before the first Passover celebrated in Canaan (Joshua 5:10), just as circumcision preceded the first Passover in Egypt (Exodus 12:43-49).
• The outward act points to an inward call: “Circumcise your hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16;Romans 2:28-29;Colossians 2:11).
once again• The wilderness generation died, leaving their sons uncircumcised (Joshua 5:4-7).
• God now renews the covenant with the new generation, much like He renewed it with Jacob at Bethel after years away (Genesis 35:9-15).
• This “do it again” moment teaches that every generation must personally embrace God’s covenant, not merely inherit it (Deuteronomy 30:6).
summaryJoshua 5:2 shows God halting Israel’s forward march to reinforce covenant identity before conquest. By commanding Joshua to circumcise the new generation with humble flint knives, the Lord reconnects the people to Abraham’s covenant, prepares them for Passover, and reminds us that spiritual readiness and heart obedience precede every victory God grants.
THE CIRCUMCISION OF ISRAEL BY JOSHUA (
Joshua 5:2-9).
(2)Make thee sharp knives.--Authorities are divided between the rendering "sharp knives" and "knives of flint." The first seems best supported, as far as the meaning of thewordsis concerned. The expression is "knives oftsurim."The wordts-rdoes not seem anywhere to be connected with the material of the tool, but rather with the edge of it.Knives of keen edgeis, therefore, the better translation. At the same time they may have been stone knives in this instance. The idea that they were so is supported by an addition in the LXX. toJoshua 24:30 : "They put with him (Joshua) into the tomb . . . the knives of stone with which he circumcised the children of Israel . . . and there they are to this day." The ceremony being a kind of special consecration, it is not unlikely to have been performed with special instruments, which were not used before or after. Comp.Psalm 89:43, "Thou hast turned thets-r(keen edge) of his sword;"2Samuel 2:16, "Helkath Hazzurim"--i.e., the field of keen blades;Exodus 4:25, "Zipporah took atzor";Ezekiel 3:9, "an adamant harder thantzor." . . .
Verse 2. -
At that time. Ver. I is introduced in order to explain why Joshua ventured upon the circumcision of the children of Israel at so critical a period. Nothing could more clearly evince the spirit of confidence in Jehovah which animated not only Joshua, but all the children of Israel. We read of no murmurings, although it was well known that the performance of the rite of circumcision would unfit the Israelites for active service for some days. We may imagine, and even the silence of the sacred historian may be deemed eloquent on the point, that the marvellous passage of the Jordan had inspired the Israelites with an eager desire to renew their covenant with the God who "had done so great things for them already." And although, for religious reasons, they remained inactive for four or five days, a course of action from a military point of view highly injudicious, yet such was the terror the passage of the Jordan had struck into the hearts of the Phoenicians that no attack on them was attempted, and the inhabitants of Jericho (
Joshua 6:1) remained under the protection of their strong walls.
Sharp knives, or
knives of stone (
צוּר; cf.
צֹרExodus 4:25). The LXX., Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic versions, as well as the margins of our Bibles, render thus. On the other hand, several of the Rabbis give the same translation as the text of our version. The LXX. translator, following no doubt an ancient tradition, adds after
Joshua 24:30, that these knives were buried with Joshua (see note there). The idea which has found great favour lately of a "stone age," as anterior to an "iron age," of the world, will hardly derive support from this passage. That the use of stone preceded the use of iron scarcely admits of a doubt. But from
Genesis 4:22 we learn that the use of iron had been known hundreds of years before Joshua, and yet we find him using stone knives. And we may go further. In spite of the advance of civilisation in our own day, there are still millions of human beings who have not advanced beyond the "stone age." The idea, then, of an age in which the universal use of iron has supplanted the universal use of stone is an idea which facts compel us to reject, while admitting that the use of stone must have preceded the use of iron in the infancy of the human race. In these "knives of flint," Origen, Theodoret, and others see an allusion to Christ, the rock. The second time. For "circumcise again the children of Israel the second time," the literal translation is, "return (
שׁוּב) to circumcise," or, "return, circumcise" them the second time. This has perplexed the commentators and translators. It has been assumed that the text involves the idea of a former general circumcision of the people, and various are the expedients which have been resorted to in order to avoid the difficulty. Some copies of the LXX. would read
שֵׁב for
שׁוּב (or
יְשֵׁב for
וְשׁוּב Rosenmuller), and translate "sit down"
i.e., halt), "and circumcise" The Vulgate leaves out the word altogether. The Syriac translates literally. The Arabic reads "tomorrow" for "again." The Rabbi Solomon Jarchi falls back on the expedient of a general circumcision ordered by Moses on the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt, on account of their neglect of that rite while they sojourned there, "Nam jam antea magna multitudo simul erat circumcisa illa nocte qua egrediebantur ex AEgypto." But this is rendered highly improbable by the fact that circumcision was an Egyptian as well as a Hebrew custom, and still more so by the improbability that such an important circumstance should have been passed over in silence. Knobel regards Abraham's circumcision with that of his household as the first time (
Genesis 17:23). Perhaps the best explanation is that the word
שׁוּב, though it is rightly translated "again" here, and in several other places in Scripture, carries with it the idea of a
return into a former condition (
kehre zuruck, Knobel). So
Genesis 26:18;
Genesis 30:31, Hosea 2:11 (Hosea 2:9, in our version). In
2 Kings 1:11, 13 we have the king's
return to his former purpose in the second and third mission to Elijah. Thus here the word is used of the
bringing back the children of Israel to their former state, that of a people who were in the enjoyment of a visible sign and seal (
Romans 4:11) of their being God's covenant people. The meaning therefore would seem to be, "Restore the children of Israel a second time to the position they formerly held, as visibly bound to me, and placed under my protection, by the rite of circumcision." "The person must be in favour ere the work can hope to prosper; his predecessor Moses had like to have been slain for neglect of this sacrament, when he went to call the people out of Egypt; he justly fears his own safety, if now he omit it, when they are brought into Canaan" (Bp. Hall).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
At thatהַהִ֗יא(ha·hî)Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931:He, self, the same, this, that, as, aretimeבָּעֵ֣ת(bā·‘êṯ)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6256:Time, now, whenthe LORDיְהוָה֙(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelsaidאָמַ֤ר(’ā·mar)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559:To utter, saytoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, toJoshua,יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ(yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091:Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites“Makeעֲשֵׂ֥ה(‘ă·śêh)Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 6213:To do, makeflintצֻרִ֑ים(ṣu·rîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6697:A cliff, a rock, boulder, a refuge, an edgeknivesחַֽרְב֣וֹת(ḥar·ḇō·wṯ)Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2719:Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, swordand circumciseמֹ֥ל(mōl)Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 4135:To cut short, curtail, to blunt, to destroythe sonsבְּנֵֽי־(bə·nê-)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121:A sonof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל(yiś·rā·’êl)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478:Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desconce again.”וְשׁ֛וּב(wə·šūḇ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7725:To turn back, in, to retreat, again
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OT History: Joshua 5:2 At that time Yahweh said to Joshua (Josh. Jos) 
